In the camera system employed in the space shuttle it is necessary to employ cameras which are sensitive enough to function under the conditions for which the shuttle is designed. Accordingly camera tubes are utilized that have very good low light level characteristics. Such systems must function over light ranges that are not ordinarily required. Video level control circuitry is required which will allow the camera tube to provide a normalized video signal over the desired range. Several known video signal level control systems combine lens iris control and gain circuits to control the camera tube and thereby provide the video signal desired. However these prior level control systems do not provide the necessary level control to insure optimum operation in the input light ranges that are desired in the camera applications required in the space shuttle program, particularly as required in the presence of an overload producing scene area.